Good Evening, Miss Faust
by Fallout47
Summary: It all began that one evening in an underground chamber in London. She turned and saw him. The connection was made. Their adventures began. The events of Rogue Nation and Fallout told from the POV of Ilsa Faust. Rated T, just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I do not own Mission Impossible or any of the characters.

This story is a telling of the events from Rogue Nation and Fallout from the perspective of Ilsa Faust.

This is my first story in a long time, so please do provide feedback. But be gentle at the same time.

 **Warning: Major spoilers for the above-mentioned Mission Impossible movies.**

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 **Chapter 1**

My name is Ilsa Faust. Former agent of MI6. Former? Guess we'll wait and see, if they keep their word.

Four years ago, I was tasked to go undercover and infiltrate a group called the Syndicate. Earn the trust of their leader, Solomon Lane, former British Intelligence agent. Find everything there is to know about them and, ultimately, identify all members of the organization. Not an easy job, but I didn't expect everything to be offered on a silver platter, once inside the Syndicate.

A lot of tests of trust followed. Naturally. And then, two years ago … he came along.

We met officially in an underground chamber in London. He was chained up to a pole. Shirtless. I was supposed to extract information from him. Through the usual interrogation methods: needles. I knew what he was after, which was the same thing I was after. I wanted to help him. When I turned around to face him, our eyes connected. He didn't know who I was. I did. For a few moments, I was amused. Because, to be honest … I wasn't exactly expecting him to be without a shirt at our first meeting.

I had to help him escape once Vinter crashed the party with his less-than-delicate tools. It put me in hot water with Lane, but I felt I had made the right call. Ethan Hunt wanted the same thing as I did. I helped him because I felt I might need his help in the future. I haven't seen him for the next six months.

Our next meeting was in Vienna, at the Opera. No, definitely not a date. Lane had sent me to complete another test. Assassinating the Chancellor of Austria. My plan was to just wing him and put him in the hospital. Ethan Hunt did it before me. Things went chaotic, as the escape plan I had got foiled. Ever so gallant though, the man arrived to provide me with an alternate route. I felt like a damsel in distress. Especially when hanging onto him, as he was pondering whether to go ahead with his plan down the rope or not. I gave him an encouraging look and small smile … and down we went.

Unfortunately, my plan with the Chancellor hit a speed bump. In the form of a bomb, placed in the Chancellor's car. Lane had an insurance. Planted in the Chancellor's car, which blew up just as it passed us on the street. A minute later, I found myself interrogated in the back of a car by Ethan Hunt. I made sure to leave him a way to find me before jumping out of the car, while pursued by Lane's men. Again, he wasn't happy with my failure. But … he had another job for me. Another test.

Casablanca.

It seemed like an impossible mission though. Especially the part about holding my breath for three minutes. Which I had serious problems with. At the end of my last attempt, I surfaced and … saw that I had company. Him and his co-worker, Benji Dunn, which I met in Vienna. I could feel Dunn's eyes going over me and my black bikini for a moment or two. Ethan was all professional though and just casually handed me a towel. As if everything was completely normal. I hadn't expected anything less from him really.

I knew I had a serious problem. Ethan and his colleague needed that ledger as badly as I did. I was conflicted. I knew I couldn't just ask them to let me have the information. At some point, I would have to double-cross them. Which wasn't really something I wanted to do. But I had to. That ledger was my ticket out of the Syndicate. I wanted out. I just didn't think they would see it my way. So I made my own plans, while still being conflicted.

The operation at the power plant was going off without a hitch. Until it didn't. I knew it might be a one-way trip for me, as I had trouble staying underwater for such a long time. But I jumped anyway. Did I do it for myself or for Ethan? Hmm … No, I did it for him. Because I could've just left him there to drown, get the ledger from his colleague and be on my way to London. Ethan Hunt had become important to me. Not just professionally … but on some personal level too.

I saved his life. For a second time. Immediately, the conflict reappeared. I knew what I had to do next. I just felt horrible inside, as I knocked Benji Dunn unconscious and took off with the ledger. Lane's men were expecting me outside, just as I tried to make my own escape. On to the high-speed chase on two wheels. And four. Ethan was there too … I am not sure if he was trying to help me and get me. Because I distinctly saw him take out one of my pursuers and lead others away from me. Then he went on two wheels himself, down the motorway and getting rid of the remaining pursuers.

Again … a conflicting moment. It didn't feel right, but I had to. I pulled over then stepped in the middle of the road and gambled. If he cared for me, he would hit the brakes. Which would make him spin off. It was an emotional trick and I used it against him. He seemed just shaken up after the spin. I tried to apologize silently as my eyes connected to his for a brief moment.

Yes, I firmly believed I was off his Christmas list at that point, as I rode off towards the airport. Heading back to London. Towards freedom.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

My meeting with Chief Atlee was supposed to be simple. A bench by the riverbank. I would come in, drop off the drive, he would bring me in. But, as it usually is with espionage business, nothing would go according to plan. I should've known by then. Then again … I did trust him. If I couldn't trust Atlee, whom could I trust? No, he just basically turned me around and said 'keep going'. Oh … and, with not much subtlety, he suggested I should kill Ethan, if … no, not if, when Lane would ask me to do so.

At that point, I would've probably just shot him, in plain sight of the London public and left him there. How could he even suggest such a thing? It was beyond preposterous. I mean … sure, that order would've come. Eventually. Most likely, as a final test. Didn't mean I would have to just go ahead with it. I'd just have to find a way that wouldn't get Ethan killed. Not easy, but … yeah. Definitely had no intention to kill him. I could've just let him die in Casablanca. No … Absolutely bloody not.

Atlee even stooped so low to resort to blackmail. I was a disavowed agent to everyone else. And only MI6 could clear that status. No … Correction. Only Atlee could clear it. Bastard. I took the drive and left.

I met with Lane and a few of his cronies in a cemetery. Terribly appropriate. I just handed over the drive. Only a minute later, I find out that it was empty. On the spot, I thought that Ethan had just let me have that drive because it had been empty. Lack of trust. Couldn't have really blamed him for doing that. But I was in hot water again with Lane. And he went for more decisive measures.

Ethan found me at the railway station. Along with his colleagues … yes, I got to known the rest of his team. I tried to apologize to him, but he didn't let me. Just doing my job, he said. I was somewhat relieved. When bringing the subject of the drive up … I realized that Atlee had set me up. He had wiped that drive, right in front of me. And I had blamed Ethan for nothing … Idiot. I should've seen that. It was clear now … Atlee didn't give a damn about me. Or Ethan. Then the man before me outright confessed that he had hoped the drive would've been enough for me to get out of the Syndicate.

I was speechless for a moment. Or two. Or a few. My jaw fell open. Figuratively, of course, because I'm trained to keep my composure, even in such situations. But … that was probably the nicest thing anyone had done for me in ages. Ethan had probably realized how bad I wanted out. And he had provided a way out. Ever the gallant rescuer. I felt like a first-class heel, right there and there. I wanted to apologize for everything. But I knew he would just dismiss my apologies.

That was why … when he asked for the choices we had, besides the obvious two, I offered a third. I asked Ethan to come away with me. I mean … it was just so clear. We could've been well together, away from everything. But part of me realized, soon enough, that he would never go for it. And he didn't. And then … as soon as I handed him the phone from Lane, things went haywire. Benji Dunn got taken. Ethan and one of the others took off after him. I decided to make my move and disappeared into the crowd, before his other colleague would reach me.

I had to find a way to save Benji Dunn. Make everything right. Without anyone getting killed in the process. Then maybe I could have my freedom. Somehow.

When I found out Lane's plan, I thought it was a bad joke. Ethan had to take the British Prime Minister, in order to open what was on that drive. That was just … impossible. Then again, I also knew 'impossible' was what Ethan and his team did. He had to get it done. Because the drive would be exchanged for Benji. Or so Lane had said in the first place … Of course, that wasn't the truth. The last part of Lane's plan would be mine. My final test. As soon as Ethan would deliver the drive, I would have to kill him and Benji. I literally found myself with no way out. Ethan would have to find a way. Otherwise … everything would go to hell.

Just a casual late-night drink in a café outside the Tower of London. Me, Benji … and two pounds of Semtex and a truckload of ball bearings attached to him. He was terrified, I could tell. I tried to be as calm as I could be. But I was terrified myself, inwardly. Finally, Ethan arrived … Just over three minutes to spare. And he began a battle of wits with Lane. Time ticked away … and, less than a minute on the clock, Ethan revealed that he had memorized the contents of the drive. He didn't have the actual drive. He was exchanging himself for Benji.

Shit.

I was unable to hold my composure much longer. My face showed clear signs of tension. There were ten seconds left … Five … With less than a second left, the timer stopped. Thank God … Then Ethan just simply asked me to shoot him, if the cronies would move in. Finally, Benji received the disarming instructions, took the damn bomb off and was gone. That left me and Ethan. And Lane's cronies all around us. It was clear what was going to happen. They'd kill me and take Ethan. I looked at Ethan and I knew what he was thinking. So … that was the plan. He'd just play the gallant rescuer again. A human shield.

As the first of Lane's men took his gun out, I fired and took him down. Ethan stayed in front of me and even took the gun to take down a few more. Then wounded Vinter, just as the gun went empty. Then Ethan and I took off, running like crazy on the London streets. That man can surely run. Probably would be crazy enough to sign-up for a half-marathon, if not the full distance.

The chase took a while. We got separated. In the end, I squared off against Vinter. Knife against knife. I took some cuts in the process, but I made sure he wouldn't be harming anyone ever again. Then I joined Ethan, just as him as his team had boxed Lane. It felt so good to see him helpless, behind unbreakable glass. They knocked him unconscious … probably the same gas that Lane had used to knock Ethan out. Then the box got dumped in the back of a police van. Whether it was an actual police van or not, I didn't care anymore.

I just … looked at the road ahead. And Ethan stated the obvious. I was finally free. Just before he could go, I latched onto him. Would've probably kissed him too, but it didn't feel like the right time for it. I wished he could've come with me but … no, he wouldn't. I hoped we would meet again … Maybe when he would leave all this behind.

Then we parted ways. He went to his colleagues. I went to the car that had been prepared for me. It was my turn to state the obvious. He knew how to find me. And he would better try to, when all would be over.

Then I drove off. Towards freedom.

Or so I had thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ethan had said I was free. We are never free. In this line of work, they would always find you. No matter how deep you would hide. Sooner or later, they would knock on your door and tell you: 'Hey, guess what? You're not done. Come on out. There's more stuff to do'. And, whether you like it or not, you have to come out and get back to work. If I was looking for freedom … I clearly had joined the wrong line of work.

As you were able to figure out, MI6 found me. I had two choices: either do as they asked and get out of this ordeal or keep on running. I didn't really have much of a choice. I just couldn't continue to run. They had found me once. They could always do it again. And then … I wouldn't be presented with an alternative. I was pretty sure of that one. So yes, I accepted the task. And I had to complete it too.

I had to kill Solomon Lane. As soon as possible.

Two years after his arrest in London, the opportunity presented itself. A black market arms dealer was tasked to get Lane out of custody in Paris, in exchange for plutonium. The plan was quite simple for me. I had to allow Lane to be extracted. So I could kill him myself. The main person interested in the plutonium was John Lark. A fundamentalist, who probably had nefarious plans with the plutonium. This was like hitting two birds with one stone. Keeping the plutonium out of Lark's reach … and taking Lane out of the equation permanently.

Still … it would leave the plutonium in the hands of these Apostles. Remains of Lane's former Syndicate. But I had to focus on my own problem. The Apostles could be handled by someone else's. Call me selfish. But my freedom, my life was at stake.

The meeting between Lark and the arms dealer was taking place in Paris. I tailed Lark to the meeting. But it took just a momentary slip and he moved out of my reach. Found him again … in a bathroom. Gun in hand. Ready to shoot Ethan. I didn't know what he was doing there. Presumably wanting to grab Lark. It was … a complicated choice. If I'd help Ethan, I'd put my mission in jeopardy. If I wouldn't help him, Lark would kill him.

I took a split-second decision … and shot Lark.

Ethan, of course, had questions. Questions that I couldn't answer. Not at this point. Especially not when he had company. Some other guy that I didn't know. Smelled like CIA. I helped Ethan make contact with the arms dealer, White Widow, then I was on my way out. I had to recalibrate my plan. Because it had just taken a turn for the worse. With Ethan involved, it would be that much harder. Would he be the one extracting Lane? I wasn't sure.

I knew I just had to follow Lane. Then strike when the opportunity would present itself. Preferably without harming Ethan or anyone from his team, if they would get involved in the extraction.

I kept a watch from distance, while on a motorbike. The extraction occurred. As soon as Lane resurfaced on the streets, I tried to take him out. Didn't get him the first time. The second time … a big problem popped up. The one I was afraid of. Ethan was the one driving the car in which Lane was. We looked at each other for a moment. It felt like an hour. I hesitated.

Ethan floored it … I tried to shoot Lane, but the windshield held firm. The bike was pushed from underneath me and I tumbled over the car and onto the pavement. It hurt. As I got up and stumbled away, I knew I had to talk to Ethan. Face to face. I needed to explain my actions. And make him understand that I needed him to step away. Otherwise, I couldn't complete my mission. I couldn't obtain my life back.

After following him from a meeting with the White Widow, we found ourselves secluded between trees. If one would've ignored the circumstances, it was a rather … romantic setting. But that wasn't on our minds at that time. Obviously. I explained him the situation. Or rather … he guessed it. He understood why I did what I had done. At the same time, I knew he wouldn't help me. He had his own mission. This time, he couldn't be the gallant rescuer. Even though he probably wanted to be.

I had to tail him and Lane. And finish the job. Preferably without hurting Ethan.

The next destination? Where else … but London.

Where all had began, more than two years earlier.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Technology helped me find them in London. It's amazing what you can do with phones these days. The trail led me underground. I was able to guide myself with their voices, as soon as I had gotten closer. And it seemed I had arrived there just in time to bail them out of trouble. The CIA guy that had joined the group was apparently a rogue operative. Namely … John Lark himself. And the CIA team that had been sent to collect Lane and, apparently the IMF team as well, also included a couple of Lark's own goons.

The goons went down after a few minutes of fighting, but things had already gone very wrong. The Secretary was dead, stabbed by Lark, who had taken off. And Lane was gone too. There was no time for a proper reunion. I joined Benji and Luther in a van, while Ethan chased down Lark. On foot. I think he ran for … Jesus. 5 minutes straight? Jumping through windows, between buildings … When we found him, I could've sworn he had broken his foot. Not that he would acknowledge something like that. Sadly, his effort was for nothing. Lark and Lane had gotten away.

Later that day, I had a heart-to-heart with Luther. He explained to me that Ethan had been serious only about two women in his life. I hadn't even known he had been married. Had been … Clearly complicated. Anyway, Luther was concerned that Ethan would have to worry about me, if I'd join them in the chase after Lane. But Ethan wouldn't have to worry. I could handle myself. I'm sure Ethan realized that when I said that I'd accompany them. He actually seemed happy. Or relieved. I didn't know which exactly, sometimes he's hard to read.

Then he confirmed where we stood, when saying that he only trusted the people in that room. Which included me. We would count on each other. As we had done several times before. I had his back. He had mine.

The chase led us to Kashmir. And two non-defusable nuclear bombs. That was until Benji figured out a way to actually defuse them. But it was incredibly risky. The timer had be ticking in order to defuse them. Jesus … The bombs could've destroyed the lives of billions of people. There was no other choice though. Then, an unexpected factor appeared at the medical camp where the bombs seemed to be … Ethan's ex-wife. And her new husband, both doctors. They had been sent there to sort out a medical emergency in the area. That was no coincidence. Either Lark or Lane had done it.

Soon enough, we found the first bomb, in the middle of the camp. Luther stayed behind with it, while myself, Ethan and Benji looked for the other. That was when Ethan took off, when spotting Lark and the remote for the bombs. Jesus, he was going to do some crazy stunts again, wasn't he? And Luther thought Ethan would be worried about me? Yeah … Try that backwards. Benji pulled me away and we resumed the search for the second bomb. That was when I found him. Lane. He knew where the second one was, I was sure of it. I would just get it out of him, one way or another.

I found the second device without help … just before I found myself in over my head and then tied up to a chair. Seriously restrained, I couldn't try to get out of the ropes without strangling myself. Benji came looking for me. I had previously informed him that I had found Lane … and now Benji was walking into a trap. I tried to warn him … Poor Benji. He was no match for Lane. But hearing the noises of the fight and Lane's taunting only made me angrier. And I just took off, chair on my back. Broke the chair and charged Lane. I neutralized him, with some assistance from Benji, then rescued him from being hanged. Then we were off to the bomb. It had been ticking for some time. Since we were out of communication with Ethan, we had to hope that he would secure the remote in time. I had faith.

Down to the last wire. We still had no clue whether or not Ethan had gotten the remote. Seconds were ticking. Benji and Luther decided to argue when to cut the wire. I stepped in, because the tension was unbearable as it is. Last second … It finally came. We cut it and … the bomb was disarmed. Now I just wanted to know if Ethan was alright. I needed to see him. This whole time, with the bomb in front of me, my thoughts were with him. Hopefully that had helped. Somehow.

Later, we (as in me, Benji and Luther) were waiting outside the tent, as he was regaining consciousness. His ex-wife and her new husband had helped out. After a while, we walked in. I watched him interact with Julia. She seemed to be a good woman. I could guess why it didn't work between them. But I wouldn't say it out loud. As she was making her way out of the tent, we exchanged a brief look. I whispered something to her. No … I am not going to tell you what. Then I approached Ethan's bed.

He was a proper mess. But when wasn't he like that after a mission? Something one would get used to it quickly. We exchanged a brief examination of each other's wounds. I told him he never looked better. Of course, a joke. But hey, the tension of the mission was gone now. Then Benji asked a rather unusual question … although it fit the circumstances. _How close were we._ The answer? _The usual._ I looked rather confused at them both. Then Ethan barely contained his laughter, even though he clearly wanted not to laugh at that precise moment. Not with those broken bones of his.

And that was Kashmir. After that, Lane got dispatched to MI6. Through the White Widow. That was me finished with them. I was free to choose now. And … well, I guess I fully expect a tape from the IMF. A tape that would sound something like … this.

 _Good evening, Miss Faust. This is Agent Ethan Hunt. You have worked closely with him on a few occasions. The chemistry between the two has been noticed. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to continue to work with Agent Hunt on a more permanent basis. While also considering a more personal relationship with him as well, as long as your professional relationship will not suffer because of it._

 _This message will self-destruct in 5 seconds. Good luck, Miss Faust._

Well, what could I say? Except … I do.

I mean. I accept. Think I jumped the gun a little bit there, yeah?

 **The End …**

 **… or maybe just a new beginning**

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Author's Note: Thank you very much for the reviews. I have plans to do some one-shots with Ethan/Ilsa in the near future. However, I am unsure when I will be able to do so. Hopefully, very soon.

Hope you enjoyed the story. See you in the next one.


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